APC Consolidation Group, a group in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC-CG, has described Nigeria’s latest ranking as third in the Global Terrorism Index, GTI, as not only disappointing but also embarrassing.
According to the group, the rating has confirmed its position that the nation’s service chiefs are not on top of the security situation in the country. It reiterated its call that President Muhammadu Buhari should relieve the security chiefs of their positions, saying anything contrary to that would portray the President as being insensitive to the security of lives and property of citizens which he swore to protect.
Reacting to the global raking which placed Nigeria third in the world, National Coordinator of the group, Dr Usman Mohammed, insisted in a statement yesterday that APC-CG was disturbed, given the huge resources the country has expended to free the country of security threats.
The group which called on the President to sack the service chiefs, said they were not indispensable to be done away with in the face of daily security threats confronting the country. It insisted that the President must see reason with its position and immediately do the needful.
In the statement, tagged “Sack Service Chiefs over Global Terrorism Rating”, the APC group regretted that the latest Global Terrorism Index rating would further scare away foreign investments and reduce the country’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
Describing the GTI rating as the worst thing to have happened to a government that meant so well for the people, the group said the rating was due to the actions and inactions of the service chiefs.
“We are saddened by this report which by implication, will close many economic doors on Nigeria and drastically bring down our GDP.
“We, the entire members of APC Consolidation Group, APCG, received with rude shock and total disappointment the 2019 Global Terrorism Report which ranks Nigeria as the 3rd most terrorized country in the world.
“This report is the worst thing that has ever happened to a government that means so well for the people. No doubt, the rating is so due to the actions and inaction of his service chiefs. So,we are worried over our dear President’s continuous retention of these officers.
“Consequently, we are calling on the President to sack the current security chiefs heading the Nigeria Armed forces, the chiefs of Defence, Army, Airforce and Naval Staff, over their inability to deliver on his vision and the expectation of Nigerians on security.
“We are saddened by this report which by implication will close many economic doors on Nigeria and drastically bring down our GDP. Investors will leave Nigeria and intending ones may have a rethink about coming to Nigeria.
“We in APC Consolidation Group insist that Mr President means well for for Nigerians in every area, but unfortunately insecurity is threatening his policies in agriculture, infrastructure, power and others.
“From our findings, if urgent steps is not taken to address the insecurity in the land, famine will by next year be alarming and that will frustrate his huge investment in agriculture through CBN.
“ Farmers cannot conveniently farm this year because of banditry and kidnapping. Power installations are being vandalized on a daily basis, thus frustrating his huge investment in power and agricultural sectors.
“The entire Northern Nigeria is not safe as at today because of terrorism, banditry and some strange crimes that were before now, alien to Nigeria. This calls for serious and urgent concern, and Mr President must reason to act now.
“The global terrorism report is a total embarrassment to our country and the security architecture. We wonder how we got here, despite the government’s huge investment in security, particularly the Armed Forces.
“We have nothing personal against the service chiefs. As a matter of fact, they have done their best, but our concern is borne out of sincere love for Nigeria, our President and our great party which this insecurity is threatening it’s glory.
“The current service chiefs, no doubt, having spent five years plus, must have ran out of fresh ideas required to transform the country’s security situation. To us, they have lost touch with the current security reality and there’s need for our President to sack them without further delay.
‘’We want to once again, remind the President that every Nigerian is tired with insecurity and needs results. We are, therefore, calling on the President to listen to Nigerians and sack the service chiefs immediately.”
Recall that the GTI, which is in its sixth edition, is produced annually by the Institute for Economics & Peace, an independent, non-partisan, non-profit think tank with offices in Sydney, New York, and Mexico City respectively.
